Breezepaw
by 18wanda
Summary: What was Breezepelt's life growing up? From Breezekit to Breezepelt, we follow his life. Can he ever gain Crowfeather's love? What if his mistakes lead to unnecessary death? Dark secrets can't always stay hidden. Breezepelt loves reviews
1. Chapter 1: One Step Closer

Breezepaw

Chapter 1: One Step Closer

Breezekit couldn't believe it was finally happening. He would finally be a warrior, well, one step closer at least.

"Bet you can't catch me!" Heatherkit meowed and charged out of the nursery.

Breezekit who had been practicing a battle move Owlwhisker showed him earlier that morning when Heatherkit batted him with a paw and ran out of the nursery. He landed awkwardly on his side and wanted to tell her off for ruining his battle move, but she was already gone.

"Warriors don't play," Breezekit grumbled.

Gorsetail approached him from behind, pushing him onward with her tail. Her tummy was heavily weighted with unborn kits. "Go on, Breezekit. Heatherkit is your friend, and when you are a warrior you won't have time to play like you can now. You need the fresh air," she insisted and went back to lay down in her nest.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine." He went out through the tangled branches and looked around the clearing for Heatherkit.

In the middle of the clearing Onestar was organizing a border patrol with his deputy, Ashfoot, and he saw Barkface in the medicine cat den, sorting out herbs with his new apprentice, Kestralpaw. Breezekit could smell the tang of herbs from here.

_Where is she?_

Breezekit emerged from the nursery and passed by the fresh-kill pile in search for Heatherkit. He ran over to the leader's den first, sneaking through the grass so as not to be seen. He came up to the mouth of Onestar's den, an abandoned badger hole and peered inside.

The den was freshly cleaned with bedding. It was slightly damp from the rain the day before, but the opening in the roof allowed the warm Greenleaf sunshine to spill in and dry it.

Breezekit passed by it without a second glance and scented for Heatherkit. There was no way she could hide in there.

He darted back across the clearing, and was just about to check the brambles behind the warriors den when he heard his name. He turned, and saw Onestar talking with Ashfoot about him. Breezekit didn't want to look like he was eavesdropping so he went over to the fresh-kill pile and began sniffing the different delicacies.

"Breezekit and Heatherkit are old enough to start their apprenticeship. We need some apprentices after Owlwhisker became a warrior especially since Kestralpaw gave up his warrior training to become a medicine cat. They need to start their training right away," Ashfoot told Onestar.

The WindClan leader nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is about time they had mentors to look after them. Do you have any good mentors in mind?"

Breezekit was about to burst with excitement.

Suddenly he heard the pounding of paws, and before he could react something furry crashed into his side, knocking him over. Heatherkit battered him with her back paws, and aimed a swipe for his ear.

Breezekit shoved her off hard and she tumbled off.

"Ow. Why did you do that? I was only playing!" Her blue eyes were smoldering.

"Be quiet," he hissed and tried once again to listen, but Ashfoot was already departing to the warriors den to gather cats for her hunting patrol. He missed it.

"I will not be quiet!" Heatherkit spat and lowered herself to attack him again.

"I just overheard Onestar and Ashfoot talking about making us apprentices," Breezekit explained. "I would have heard who are mentors are going to be, but thanks to you I missed it."

Heatherkit's anger was replaced by excitement. "Really? Onestar wants to make us warriors?" she squeaked, bouncing up and down. "That is great!"

"It is about time too," Breezekit meowed less enthusiastically. "I am big enough now to take on a fox. I have already been perfecting this battle move Owlwhisker showed me." He darted forward and leaped, scoring his claws down Heatherkit's spine, then twisting around and landing. It was a little awkward, but he regained his balance in time to avoid falling over.

Heatherkit was fascinated which only made Breezekit puff his chest out with pride. "What a cool move! Can you teach me that?" she pleaded.

Breezekit was just demonstrating to her how to get the twist right when he saw Ashfoot's patrol leaving camp.

"Make sure to check the border to ThunderClan well," Onestar told Ashfoot. "They always make up some excuse to come marching into our camp."

_Those mouse-hearted cowards_, Breezekit thought with disgust. _WindClan can take care of itself._

"Breezekit, are you going to show me that move or not?" Heatherkit pressed.

"The patrol is going to the ThunderClan border."

"What if there is trouble?" Heatherkit suggested. "The patrol will find it."

"ThunderClan thinks they are so great," Breezekit hissed. "They think they can boss all the other Clans around and come barging into our camp whenever they want. It sickens me."

Heatherkit leaped forward and dived in the long grass, sliding forward without a sound out the entrance to the camp. "Exactly. That is why we are going out."

"Out where?"

Heatherkit rolled her eyes. "Let's go spy on the ThunderClan camp. We can report the information to Onestar and use it to lead a raid on the camp!"

Breezekit remembered Ashfoot talking to Onestar about his apprentice ceremony just minutes before. Doing such a dangerous stunt would put their ceremonies in jeopardy, but the benefits would be outstanding. And besides, maybe this would be the mission that would make Crowfeather proud of him; something he had been trying his whole life to do. That was a good enough reason. "Let's go before someone sees us."

The two kits made it out of the camp unnoticed, and followed the scent of Ashfoot's patrol that led uphill across the moorland.

"I see them. They are getting farther away," Heatherkit reported. "This way."

Breezekit made sure to stay out of sight. His night black fur wasn't helping him in a time like this. He felt a little nervous but also excited. This was the first time he had ever left camp before! He had no idea WindClan territory was so huge.

"I smell rabbit," Breezekit meowed and pointed with his tail toward a clump of weeds a few fox leaps away. Prey!

"We don't have time for that. We have to get to the ThunderClan border. We will lose Ashfoot's trail. After all, we have no idea where the border even is," Heatherkit protested.

Breezekit was already gone by the time she said that. He dashed after the rabbit as fast as he could, and he saw a flash of brown fur disappear in the weeds somewhere ahead of him. He ran onward, keeping his eyes on his prey, paws churning. The rabbit was fast!

He had it!

Breezekit was tired and gasping for breath, but he caught his prize. It was his first prey! It would be enough to feed half the Clan.

Heatherkit skidded to a halt beside him and her eyes looked like they were about to pop right out of her head. "Did you catch that?" she squeaked with disbelief.

He had never felt more proud. "Yes, I chased it all the way here. It didn't stand a chance."

"Let's take it back to camp. Everyone needs to see it!" she purred and began nudging it along.

"Just what do you think you are doing out here?" a voice demanded from behind them, making Breezekit spin around to defend his prey. It was Ashfoot and the rest of her patrol.

"Hunting," he answered. "I caught this all by myself."

Ashfoot pushed them along back toward camp with her tail. "I think you two need to go back to camp now."

Heatherkit sulked along on the way back to the camp, but Breezekit walked with his head held high. Why should he feel ashamed for hunting for his Clan? That wasn't a bad thing. Behind him, Weaselfur and Tornear were carrying his rabbit back to camp.

When they got in the clearing, Breezekit walked by his catch so that everyone could see it.

"Go put that on the fresh-kill pile, Weaselfur. Tornear, come with me. We didn't get the chance to check the ThunderClan border thanks to these two," Ashfoot ordered and Weaselfur left with Breezekit's rabbit. She then turned to the two kits. "You two can wait in Onestar's den. I am sure he would like to speak with you."

"What is going to happen to us? What if Onestar is furious with us? After all, we broke the warrior code," Heatherkit mewed miserably.

"Nothing is going to happen," he replied. "Is hunting for the Clan against the warrior code? If it is then cats break that one all the time."

"But we weren't even suppose to leave camp." She waited in the shadows of Onestar's den, kneading her paws on the ground.

_ Who cares?_ Breezekit thought to himself.

They didn't have to wait long. Onestar came, but not alone. Breezekit didn't feel anything at all when he padded past, but his cool edge melted when he realized Crowfeather was with him.

"Come inside," Onestar meowed and the two kits went inside, not sure if they would ever return. Crowfeather said nothing and sat down next to Onestar.

"I heard you two went on a little excursion," the WindClan leader commented. "Care to explain it?" He didn't sound mad or disappointed at all, just curious.

"We were just exploring," Heatherkit muttered in a tiny little whisper.

"We just wanted to follow Ashfoot's patrol and hunt," Breezekit explained, conveniently leaving the part about the raid on ThunderClan out.

Crowfeather's gaze passed over Heatherkit and rested on his kit. "You broke the warrior code. You could have got killed out there, and instead of that rabbit, we could have been dragging home your mangled bodies," he hissed. That is when the guilt came on. "I expect better of you, Breezekit."

_And what about Heatherkit? This was her idea! _He kept silent though.

"We should delay your apprenticeship until you learn how to follow the warrior code like a proper warrior should," Crowfeather continued, making his hopes fall like a stone.

"What? That isn't fair! You can't do that!" Breezekit yowled defensively and leaped to his paws defiantly.

Onestar broke the contest of stares between them. "I know what they did is against the warrior code, but we can't ignore the fact that Breezekit and Heatherkit are ready to start their apprenticeship immediately. They have proved they are more than ready."

Breezekit bounced with happiness. "Yes!"

Heatherkit's solemn look was replaced by relief.

"Go back to the nursery," Onestar ordered and they left the den, still alive. "I want you to know something. To be the best warriors you can be, you don't have to prove yourselves. We already know you two will be fantastic warriors."

Onestar was right.

Crowfeather still stared after his leader like he grew a second head. Breezekit expected that.

Nightcloud fussed over Breezekit before his ceremony, and he looked at all the gathered cats, feeling proud that all of them were here to witness his apprentice ceremony. After running his life, she did the same to Heatherkit who didn't have anyone to fuss over her like he did.

"Breezekit and Heatherkit, step forward please," Onestar announced.

Breezekit strolled toward the center of the crowd, feeling like he was merely floating across the ground. His won paws felt as light as feathers. Heatherkit came up beside him, her fur still half ruffled from her nap earlier.

"Heatherkit, it is time for you to learn the ways of the warrior code and take on your new name, Heatherpaw. Crowfeather, it is about time you had an apprentice, and I hope you pass everything you know to Heatherpaw."

He stepped forward from the crowd, coolly touching noses with Heatherpaw, either sustaining her excitement or neglecting to feel any at all.

"Heatherpaw! Heatherpaw!" the cats cheered, Nightcloud the loudest of all.

_Come on! Come on!_

"Breezekit, step forward," Onestar announced. "Whitetail, you will mentor Breezepaw. Teach him well. You will have your paws full with this one."

That last comment made Breezepaw shuffle with embarrassment, but he went forward to accept Whitetail anyway as his mentor.

"I am glad to have you as my apprentice," she said and he muttered something she couldn't hear.

"Breezepaw! Heatherpaw! Breezepaw! Heatherpaw!"

Breezepaw looked for Crowfeather's dark pelt in the crowd, and expected him to be cheering with the rest of them, but his heart sank with disappointment when he saw Crowfeather just standing there beside his mate. He was just staring into the distance!

_No no no! Look up!_ Why was Crowfeather staring like that like his own kit didn't even exist? Breezepaw was not over there, and neither was his own apprentice, Heatherpaw.

Breezepaw's joy turned upside down and he just wanted to know what it took to make Crowfeather happy. If it wasn't becoming a warrior, what was it?


	2. Chapter 2: First Day

Breezepaw

Chapter 2: First Day

"Come on, Breezepaw. We want to get an early start on training today."

He opened his eyes and rose his head to see Whitetail standing over him. _Right. Training._

"It isn't even dawn yet," Breezepaw grumbled and hauled himself to his paws. Training this early was absurd! Even if it was early he couldn't help but think about his first day as an apprentice and his heart tickled with excitement.

Crowfeather and Heatherpaw were already waiting by the barrier. Breezepaw shuffled along a little faster, realizing they were waiting on him.

"Glad you could join us, Breezepaw. You really should hurry up or all the prey will die of old age by the time you get out there," Crowfeather grumbled crossly. "At least Heatherpaw got here on time."

He felt hot with embarrassment. "I'm here now."

Whitetail stepped between the battle of stares and ushered the apprentices out of camp. "We are going to start our first day hunting. We would like to see your skills first. After all, you have already proved that you are a pretty good hunter," she meowed warmly to her apprentice.

The compliment slicked off like rain off a RiverClan cat's pelt, and Breezepaw glanced at Crowfeather, waiting for the praise that would never come.

_Fine. I don't need it_, he thought bitterly. _Just keep pretending I'm not here_!

"Is Heatherpaw coming with us?" Breezepaw asked.

"No, we think it would be best to split up. I was going to take you to the ridge," his mentor replied.

"Bet I will catch more than you!" Heatherpaw called after him as they departed, and he automatically put that challenge on his first priority.

"Keep dreaming."

She turned back to let Breezepaw walk beside her. "Hunting isn't a competition, you know. To be a great hunter you have to be alert and aware, and wait for just the right moment to give chase. Plan a strategy."

"Got it," he meowed and began scenting for rabbits in the grass.

She hopped over a fallen log and Breezepaw pounced up after, managing to get his claws in the bark, but still dangling hopelessly over the edge. Whitetail leaned forward to help him, but he scrambled up in time to save his dignity.

"I'm not a kit anymore. I can do it myself," he muttered.

Her enthusiasm didn't die in the slightest bit. "I don't doubt it. Warriors support each other always, and we are there to help. That is what makes us a Clan," she told him.

_Whatever. Where's the prey?_

Breezepaw scented rabbit in the breeze and turned to the smell. It would be easy prey for sure.

"Get a little closer, then spring. The element of surprise is crucial-"

Whitetail was abruptly interrupted as Breezepaw flew past her and raced after the rabbit. Why stand there and wait for the rabbit to dash away? He wasn't going to sit there and let perfectly good prey go to waste.

He took large bounds, and thought he had it under his claws, but they only grasped grass. Breezepaw suddenly fell the ground give way beneath him and yowled as his paws sank into the hole and slammed his head on the ground.

Whitetail raced up beside him. "Are you all right?" she meowed and he felt her drag him out of the rabbit hole by the scruff.

_I fell in a stupid rabbit hole? I am such a mouse-brain! _he thought, seething.

"There is fresh-kill wasted that we aren't getting back," she countered, a little more sternly.

"But I thought I had it. You were just going to let it get away!" Breezepaw insisted, defending his failure.

"Part of being an apprentice is listening to what your mentor tells you. You learn from more experienced warriors to become the best you can be, and sometimes you just have to listen because you aren't going to get it on your own the first time."

Breezepaw didn't look up.

"Anyway, let's resume our hunt. I expect you to listen if you want to bring home some fresh-kill," Whitetail meowed they resumed their hunt. "You will get another chance."

He hoped so.

After Breezepaw returned from his outing with Whitetail, he learned another one of the joys to being an apprentice. It is called cleaning the elders den!

He was muttering to himself and moping along, feeling humiliated and insignificant. He was too good for this!

Heatherpaw came bounding in with excitement, barreling into the pile of fresh moss he collected and showering it all across the elders den. Morningflower and Webfoot weren't in here now. They were outside sunning themselves.

"Hey, Breezepaw. Whitetail told me I could find you here."

"Give her a prize," he mumbled.

"I can help you with that. Crowfeather told me you might need it," she meowed.

Right. I can't even clean the elders den right. I get it. He shuffled around her and began collecting all the moss she carelessly scattered about. "Thanks to you it is going to take even longer."

"Sorry. So, how did it go? It was soooooo much fun! I never imagined WindClan territory was so big, and Crowfeather helped me catch a rabbit. My first prey ever! I am so excited for tomorrow. Crowfeather was so pleased with me that he was going to see about hooking me up with the dawn patrol tomorrow morning," Heatherpaw went on. "Isn't that great? Anyway, how did it go for you?"

"It could have gone better. All I caught was a few field mice," Breezepaw explained hesitantly. "I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow."

"That will just about do it. Done," she announced. "I am going to arrange my nest in the apprentice den."

That sounded good. Breezepaw followed her out and they padded across the camp when Onestar leaped on top of the log that divided the camp and all the cats gathered beneath it.

"Onestar is having a meeting. Let's go," Heatherpaw meowed and doubled back to the Highlog for the announcement.

Heads peeked out of the warriors den and the warriors who were inside came out and settled under the log. As if on cue, the dusk patrol returned and at the sight of Onestar on the Highlog, they came join too. Breezepaw broke apart from Heatherpaw who was earnestly talking to Kestralpaw, the medicine cat apprentice, and went over to sit by Owlwhisker and Weaselfur.

"I would like to announce who is going to the Gathering tonight," the WindClan leader called and Breezepaw's tail twitched with the hungry eagerness of going.

"I hope I am picked," Owlwhisker whispered to Weaselfur. "This will be my first Gathering as a warrior."

"Shut up and maybe we will find out," Breezepaw hissed.

"I would like to take Ashfoot and Barkface. Kestralpaw can come with you. Tornear, Nightcloud, Weaselfur, Whitetail…"

_Come on! Come on!_

"Breezepaw and Heatherpaw. I would like to announce our newest apprentices to the other Clans as well. Everyone get prepared. We leave at moon-high." With that Onestar hopped down from Highlog and departed to his den, followed by Tornear who had led the dusk patrol.

"Yes! I get to go to the Gathering!" Breezepaw yowled, feeling on top of the world.

"Pipe down. Every cat from here to the sun-drown place will hear the racket you're making," Crowfeather hissed and Breezepaw met his cold stare before stalking away to the apprentice den.

He forgot all about arranging his nest and just had to make do with the bare ground for now. He wanted to be well-rested for the Gathering tonight so that didn't really matter now.

"Come on! They are leaving."

Breezepaw's eyes snapped opened and he flew to his paws in an instant and raced out of the apprentice den. Whitetail had to back up to avoid the whirlwind of Breezepaw.

"Did I miss it?" he gasped.

"No, you are just in time. I wasn't going to let you sleep off your first Gathering," she said warmly and he followed her behind the group that was already assembled.

"Why can't I go to the Gathering?" Harekit complained, watching the cats jealously. "I can make it."

"You will be old enough next time, Harekit. Maybe Onestar will take you then," Nightcloud replied and came up beside Breezepaw, brushing her tail along his spine.

"Are you ready?"

"Duh. Of course I am. I have been waiting my whole life for this," he meowed and eagerly bounded after Onestar to the island.

Breezepaw had never actually seen the Gathering island, but he had heard about it, and he really wanted to see it for himself. He felt like he could run on forever, and when Onestar slowed down to leap onto the log crossing, he could hardly wait his turn to get across.

The slick sides of the log were hard to cling to, but he got over without a problem. Onestar waited for the rest of his patrol to cross, but being unable to wait another second, Breezepaw went ahead and pushed through the undergrowth.

The island was so amazing! WindClan didn't have any territory like this back home, and it felt strange to be under so many trees at once. Already he could scent some prey, but he ignored it and rushed toward the sounds of voices. Lots of voices.

"What are you doing?" Ashfoot dragged him back by the tail. "You have to wait for your Clan Leader first."

"Sorry," Breezepaw apologized although he didn't mean it. He wanted to see everything!

"Now we can go."

Onestar led the WindClan cats down the ridge to the Gathering, and Breezepaw raced alongside his Clanmates, feeling superior. All the cats below would be staring at him. He never expected to see so many cats below. They were of all Clans, and filled the whole hollow.

Heatherpaw caught up beside him, her ears twitching nervously. "There are so many cats. What if no one likes me?"

"They don't have to like you. All of them are our enemies in battle," meowed Breezepaw, but all the same he tagged along behind his mentor, not really sure what to do once he got there.

Some of the WindClan cats broke apart to join cats of other Clans in modest conversation, and Barkface and Kestralpaw split up from the group to join the other medicine cats underneath HighRock.

"You can go talk to some of the other apprentices if you want," Whitetail coaxed them. "Just don't give anything away."

"Okay." Heatherpaw glanced around the clearing of unfamiliar warriors and apprentices and walked across the clearing, looking around with wide eyes.

Breezepaw decided to follow her and looked around at the leaders on HighRock, and their deputies below. He guessed the one with the bright orange pelt had to be the leader of ThunderClan, Firestar. He had heard a lot about Firestar from the elders when he was forced to listen to their drag stories while he was a kit. That meant the one with black paws had to be Blackstar, and that left Leopardstar of RiverClan. He had never seen the other Clan leaders before and tried to get a good look at them as he went past.

He felt something furry under his paw and drew back when he heard a hiss, probably from the cat connected to it. "Hey, watch it apprentice!"

Breezepaw instantly unsheathed his claws and whirled around to face a ShadowClan tabby she-cat. She was bigger than him, but she was still an apprentice like himself. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't realize ShadowClan let kits come to Gatherings," he snarled.

"You had better watch your mouth."

He wanted to shred her for bedding, but Heatherpaw ushered him along. "No fighting. She isn't worth it. And besides, we are on a truce tonight, remember?"

"Doesn't mean someone doesn't needs their fur clawed out for kit bedding." Breezepaw glared back one last time and followed Heatherpaw.

"Hello." Two spunky ThunderClan apprentices bounded up to them. One was gray with blue eyes, and the other was a golden tabby.

"Hi. I am Heatherpaw and this is Breezepaw," Heatherpaw introduced warmly. "This is our first Gathering."

"That's neat. I have never seen you two here before. That's why," the tabby she-cat purred. "I am Honeypaw and this is Cinderpaw. Where is Owlpaw?"

"Do you mean Owlwhisker? He is a warrior now," Breezepaw said. "How do you know Owlwhisker?"

"We just talked at the last Gathering is all. Have you-"

Honeypaw's question was drowned out by Leopardstar's yowl to start the Gathering. Instantly the hollow silenced, and all attention turned to the four leaders on HighRock. The one called Firestar stood up first to speak.

"The prey is running well in ThunderClan, and with Greenleaf comes new kits. We are confident that we will get through leaf-bare this year," Firestar announced.

"Firestar sounds of full of it," Breezepaw whispered so that only Heatherpaw could hear.

"We would also like to introduce three new apprentices. Lionpaw, and Hollypaw. Jaypaw will not be with us tonight."

"Isn't that the same apprentice that Whitetai and Crowfeatehr pulled out of the stream the other day?" Heatherpaw whispered back. "Jaypaw?"

Breezepaw nodded.

The cats were staring at two young ThunderClan apprentices, no bigger than he was. One was black with green eyes and he suspected that was Hollypaw, and the other one was a muscular golden tom with the very faint markings of a tabby here and there. Lionpaw.

"That Lionpaw looks pretty strong, " Heatherpaw commented, her eyes hungry for the new ThunderClan apprentice.

"So what?"

Firestar stepped back to let the other leaders speak. Breezepaw wasn't too interested in what they were saying, but when it came to Onestar's turn, he and Heatherpaw were announced in front of all the cats gathered below and he stood tall to let every cat to see how big and fierce he was. Nightcloud looked at him, the proudest of them all.

"maybe I can go talk to Lionpaw before we leave." Heatherpaw dashed away when the leaders were done speaking in the direction of where most of the ThunderClan cats were gathered.

Who cares? Breezepaw couldn't care less about ThunderClan apprentices. He cared about his own Clan. All these cats were supposed to be enemies after the night ended anyway, so what was the benefit of getting to know anyone.

The Gathering ended with Heatherpaw chasing after Lionpaw.


	3. Chapter 3: Discoveries

Breezepaw

Chapter 3: Discovery

"Harepaw, you are getting the twist all wrong. You are overdoing your leap, therefore you giving your opponent extra time to dodge it," Crowfeather advised. "Get it right this time."

The brown and white apprentice never was the most enthusiastic kit ever to become an apprentice. He had always been timid ever since Breezepaw known him, and now as an apprentice he was more worried than ever like the sky would fall on his head.

Breezepaw rolled his eyes. A blind mole could do better than this little apprentice. Why did Whitetail have to invite Harepaw to the training session anyway? He was slowing him down from doing the more advanced moves, and just had to stand there like a dummy for the new apprentice to get it right.

Heatherpaw went out with Kestralpaw to gather herbs along the RiverClan border, and being the only apprentice left in camp to help with Harepaw's training session, he had to come along too although he wasn't really sure how this was helping him at all.

Harepaw tried the simple move again, this time managing to make contact with Breezepaw's pelt, but only parting through the course black fur.

_That is pathetic_! Breezepaw thought scornfully. _Harepaw fights like a ThunderClan kittypet!_

Crowfeather who was watching the training session from the other side of the arena, leaped down from the rock and stormed up to Harepaw. "Can you explain that?"

He was kneading the ground with his forepaws unsurely. "I just didn't want to hurt Breezepaw is all."

"Breezepaw can take it," Crowfeather explained tersely. "In battle you have to remain confident, and you cannot be concerned with the small details. Battle doesn't work that way. Step back and watch how real warriors fight."

His head shot up and his claws dug in the earth. What? He would have gladly demonstrated his skills against any other warrior, but against his own father? It felt so…wrong to lift a claw.

Crowfeather didn't seem bothered that he was about to fight his only kit. He advanced forward, fur bristled and slunk closer, muscles tense.

This is just a practice bout, Breezepaw reminded himself and readied his battle stance. Now was his chance to show him what a great warrior he was. He prepared and looked for the greatest moment to strike.

He didn't get the first strike like he hoped. Crowfeather leaped forward and grabbed him by the shoulders. Breezepaw thought quickly and shoved upward, dislodging the bigger warrior. Crowfeather whirled around quickly and whacked his ear with a sheathed paw.

Breezepaw was growling with fury and made a huge leap, aiming downward with his claws, and felt them part through fur. He thought he had performed the greatest move possible in a situation like this, but he felt a strong paw knock him down on the landing and he was on the ground.

_Think! Think!_

Breezepaw rolled away and was back on his paws in an instant, leaping up and attemping to grasp Crowfeather's scruff in his teeth. It worked, but he was not strong enough to drag the much bigger warrior to the ground with him, and he pummeled Breezepaw roughly with his hind paws.

He had no choice but to let go and try again, but before he could even think of what to do next Crowfeather raced forward and leaped in the air, twisting around and performing the move he was just demonstrating to Harepaw just moments before.

Breezepaw felt the stinging of claws scoring through his fur, and ran forward, powered by fury. He didn't care who he was fighting now. He was not about to lose that easily! His claws unsheathed too and he caught Crowfeather on the nose, but he didn't even draw back. Instead Crowfeather aimed a bunch of quick swipes everywhere at once, and it seemed that when Breezepaw was dodging one, he was barreling right into another.

Each one hurt and he was being forced to draw back. They collided again in a whirlwind of black fur until Breezepaw was trapped under Crowfeather's paws. He panted heavily and wriggled in a useless attempt to free himself.

To Harepaw he said, "That is how it is done." Crowfeather let Breezepaw up and neatly began pulling the tufts of Breezepaw's fur from his claws as casually as if he were plucking fresh-kill from the pile.

Breezepaw got to his paws, seething and he craned his head around to lick his scratches.

"I won't have to fight like that, do I?" Harepaw squeaked, looking rather terrified.

"In battle cats won't stand around like a bunch of trees and wait for you to do a move correctly," Crowfeather told him. "It is a lot fiercer than that."

Claws were supposed to be sheathed in practice bouts. He sat there wondering why a practice move turned so vicious. Why was his father taking out all his anger on him anyway? He didn't do anything wrong.

Crowfeather nodded slightly to Breezepaw then leaped back up on the rock. "Again."

Breezepaw sighed, feeling like the weight of the world was hanging over his head. He decided to join the dusk patrol that night, and he heard locusts already making those wheezy chirps they always do when night comes. He stayed near the front of the patrol, not wanting to hold the rest of the cats back.

Nightcloud was leading the patrol along with Weaselfur, and his mentor, Whitetail. Breezepaw's thoughts were elseware though. He was glad Crowfeather wasn't here to see him now.

"Breezepaw, what can you scent?" Whitetail asked when the patrol halted at the top of the rise.

_Oh yeah. Pay attention. _"I'm not a kit anymore," he snapped. "Anyone can tell that a fox came across here yesterday, but is gone now, there is an abandoned badger set over there, and the twolegplace is over there." He pointed in the intended direction with his tail. "I'm not a mouse-brain."

Whitetail looked crestfallen. "Yes, of course."

He felt the weird looks of the rest of the patrol scorching his fur, and he fought to ignore them. _Let them stare!_

Nightcloud stopped abruptly and Breezepaw immediately started sniffing around, searching for the cause.

"Squirrel," Weaselfur meowed excitedly.

"WindClan cats don't eat squirrel," Nightcloud reminded him. "Yet we do have woodland on our territory, and a squirrel is a squirrel. We can't afford to be wasteful."

"Out of my way." Breezepaw stormed past his Clanmates and dashed after it, planning to run it down with his speed.

Rabbits are not like squirrels. Breezepaw discovered that when it whirled up a tree quickly and he lost sight of it through the branches. He missed it! He just wanted to sink into the ground.

"Breezepaw, you just wasted fresh-kill for all of us," Nightcloud said disapprovingly.

"It wasn't my fault. I have never hunted squirrel before," he shot back defensively. "None of you could have done better."

Whitetail glared at her apprentice sternly. "Breezepaw, you are being disrespectful, and I expect you to be friendly to your Clanmates. That is no way to act."

Now they were giving him the whole 'respect your Clanmates' speech again. How many times has he heard _this_ one in his life? He rolled his eyes. "I know. Listen to your mentor. Blah, blah, blah. You ruined it again, Breezepaw. Blah, blah, blah."

"Go back to camp. If you can't handle a patrol you can just stay in camp and clean out the nursery," Nightcloud meowed, her voice like chipped ice. She was obviously embarrassed to have raised such an ill-behaved kit.

Regret came soon after he said it, and it only made Breezepaw sick with guilt. Why did he just say that? "I'm out of here," he growled and stormed off, taking off across the moor to escape. He was too proud to apologize, and was not about to be sent back to camp like a naughty kit. That wasn't going to happen either.

"So what? They all are fed up with me anyway. Let them go on without me," he mumbled to himself, still seething. "And I thought being an apprentice would be fun." He seriously just wished he was back in the nursery where Crowfeather couldn't judge him, and where bossy warriors couldn't order him around. That would be great.

Suddenly Breezepaw saw something ahead. It was a rabbit burrow of some sort. He went to investigate, looking for the rabbit that lived there. After missing that squirrel he felt he had to do _something. _He thrust his head inside the dark hole, but couldn't smell rabbit.

It was odd. The air was moist and cool with a slight breeze. Where could the air be coming from? _Maybe it came out of another entrance_, he guessed. Breezepaw curiously wriggled farther inside, struggling to fit down the tiny entrance.

_What am I doing?_ He asked himself when he got his whole body inside. _Now how am I going to get back out? What a mouse-brained idea!_ Breezepaw squeezed all the breath from his body and turned around back toward the hole, but then again that hole wasn't going anywhere. The darkness loomed ahead, and the overpowering urge to see what was inside was overwhelming. He didn't plan on returning to camp anytime soon after that epidemic, so exploring wouldn't hurt.

It was extremely dark, and Breezepaw couldn't see anything around him. He could feel the walls of the burrow around him, occasionally getting narrower or wider the farther he went through. He could feel the ground sloping downward, and he wondered how far it went down.

_What kind of rabbit burrow is this? "_Stupid StarClan-forsaken rocks." Breezepaw kept going. Eventually air shafts came from ahead, and he heard the sound of a stream. The tunnel ended and revealed a huge centerpiece where many other tunnels led who knew where. It was lighter here, and he never thought he would be so glad to see his own paws again.

"Great StarClan." He couldn't help but gasp with surprise at what he had found at the end of his discovery. "This place is incredible. And I am the only one who knows about its existence!" His voice bounced off the walls and he flinched. "If that tunnel from WindClan territory led down here, the others could go anywhere."

This was an amazing discovery! Breezepaw went to the other side of the cave and saw a wave of dark, churning river flowing into darkness. It looked deep and flowed into unknown darkness ahead. Instinctively he took a few steps back away from it in case his paws slipped and he fell in.

_I have to tell the Clan about this! We could sneak into another Clan's territory and invade whenever we want! _Breezepaw's heart quickened with excitement when he thought about sharing his discovery to the benefit of his Clan. But then again…he had a much better idea instead.

He would share it with Heatherpaw!

Breezepaw really wanted to impress her, to get her to realize how strong, brave, and a natural warrior he was. He didn't know he felt this way, but every time she came near he always wanted to be twice as great, and give his best effort so she could see. There was nothing wrong with trying to impress his Clanmate, he decided after pondering over why exactly he did that.

Heatherpaw would be the first to know, and together they would explore the dark tunnels beyond the one he took. Breezepaw couldn't wait to get back to camp, and was about to bound for the tunnel when he discovered something, a scent that he didn't notice before. It smelled of WindClan. And of something else familiar…

Heatherpaw. She was already here.


	4. Chapter 4: Fixing Rights and Wrongs

Breezepaw

Chapter 4: Fixing Rights and Wrongs

Breezepaw was on his way back to camp, unusually silent as he thought about why Heatherpaw was in the tunnels. Maybe she was in there for the same reason he was, just to explore a rabbit hole and finding something spectacular. He was going to keep this in mind.

He heard the sound of kits mewling from the nursery. Gorsetails's kits were just born yesterday, and the whole camp was buzzing with excitement over having new kits in the Clan. Breezepaw himself hadn't paid too much attention to them, or even thought about them really.

_How would it feel like having an apprentice_? he wondered. What if he was appointed a mentor six moons from now? That was a long time to gain respect from his Clanmates, right? He dismissed the hopeful thought with a shrug. There were plenty of more experienced cats in the Clan without an apprentice. Onestar would most definitely choose one of them before him.

Barkface made his way across the clearing, heading over to the nursery with herbs. Kestralpaw was in his den, treating Morningflower who had stepped on a thorn that was carelessly strewn in her bedding.

Being a medicine cat looked like the most boring job ever. _How could Kestralpaw want to give up his chances of being a warrior just to sort leaves?_

"Just give this poultice a little time, and it should feel much better. Would you like an escort back to the elders den?" the friendly apprentice offered.

Morningflower playfully batted him with a paw. "I'm not that old. I can walk myself there."

"I believe you."

Breezepaw didn't really know why he was standing there listening to this, but he really wanted to steer away from camp for a while.

Kestralpaw looked up and saw him standing there. "Hey. What are you doing here? You never visit me."

"No reason."

He gave Breezepaw a sympathetic look that made him want to claw his ears off. "I heard what happened. Whitetail was pretty upset."

Now he just wanted to melt right into the ground. "My problems are none of your business," he snapped.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kestralpaw pressed.

"What part of no aren't you getting? I just said I don't need any help. And who told you anyway?" Breezepaw was boiling with anger and guilt for his outburst earlier.

"I am a medicine cat apprentice. I don't hold the wisdom of a full medicine cat yet, but I do know that you shouldn't be treating your Clanmates that way, especially your mentor. You need to grow up, and stop acting so aggravated all the time, or no one will like you." His green eyes were piercingly cold.

"Shut up." Breezepaw stormed out of the den across the clearing toward the apprentice den. A nap would do nicely right now.

On his way he spotted Whitetail sharing fresh-kill with Ashfoot. When he passed by she lowered her gaze.

"What have I done?" he moaned and sank down into his nest. Heatherpaw was already there, sleeping deeply.

She opened her eyes slowly and felt Breezepaw beside her. "Is it dawn yet?" she yawned. "I was supposed to go on the dawn patrol."

Dawn patrol? What in the name of StarClanw as she talking about? "Heatherpaw, it is past sunhigh. The dawn patrol left ages ago. You have been asleep all morning?"

She shot to her paws. "Great StarClan! It is sun-high already? Oh no. Crowfeather is going to turn me to crowfood!" She raced out of the den, not even bothering to groom herself before lumbering out like a badger.

Why was she so tired anyway?

Whitetail didn't talk to Breezepaw all day, and he felt awkward without being occupied by activities the whole day. He did go hunting and managed to bring back a rabbit for the fresh-kill pile, but Whitetail didn't even act like she noticed.

As much as he wanted to ignore her, he thought about what Kestralpaw said earlier that day, and he felt like the burden was weighting down his paws so he could barely lift them off the ground. _I am such a jerk. Fix it._

Breezepaw sought out his mentor sharing tongues outside the warriors den, and he really wanted to stop and turn around and avoid the problem all together. Too late to back out now.

She looked up but didn't speak.

"Whitetail, I…need to talk to you."

She narrowed her eyes with surprise, but followed her apprentice away from the other warriors where their conversation wouldn't be overheard. "Well, what is it? Do you have any rude comments you would like to add?"

Breezepaw swallowed his pride and continued. "I'm sorry for the way I have been treating you. I shouldn't have said those things to you." He felt so tiny and inferior apologizing, but he just had to do it.

"Really? You are apologizing?"

He nodded.

Her tail brushed his side. "It is okay. I forgive you, but I am not tolerating anymore of your bad attitude. Why not you join me in the hollow for some battle training?"

Breezepaw followed behind her. "Sounds good."

The silence around the hollow was disturbed when Breezepaw heard the sound of faint yowling in the distance along with the howling of a dog. He stiffened and tried to locate the sound. "Whitetail, it sounds like a patrol is in trouble!"

Whitetail sensed his fear. "That sounds like Nightcloud's patrol! Come on!" She streaked across across the moor, and Breezepaw raced after her, running as fast as his paws would let him go, and feeling the world rush past. The sounds of cats caterwauling and the thundering of large paws made his heart pound faster.

A large black and white dog was dashing across the moor, snarling and barking, reaching down to snap at Crowfeather, but the warrior was too quick to be caught between the dog's jaws. He darted beneath its paws, confusing it.

Crowfeather tried to nip it as he went past, but the dog was faster and grabbed him up and started strangling.

With a furious yowl Breezepaw went down to join the fray, prepared to protect his Clanmtaes.

"There are more!" Owlwhisker wailed and more dogs poured out from the undergrowth. Two more followed him, each larger than the last.

He ran toward the nearest dog, clawing its face and it yelped with pain, leaping back away from the furious Breezepaw. He leaped and tried tdig his claws into its shoulder, but another dog came up from behind, dragging him to the ground.

"Let go you flea-ridden piece of crowfood!" Breezepaw lashed out with his claws, and felt the searing pain of the dog's teeth sink into his tail.

Whitetail leaped to his defense and barreled into its side, tearing at the filthy creature's fur. It growled and tried to snap at her, but she dodged nimbly away and turned to face her enemy again.

He was free!

Breezepaw got back to his paws and looked around for the dogs and cats, fighting for their lives. He then was distracted by a screech and saw Heatherpaw trapped under a big dog's paws while another was snapping at her.

His Heatherpaw was being attacked.

"Get off of her!" he screamed and launched himself across to help her, the rage making him blind with fury. How dare they hurt her! He sank his fangs into the nearest dog's ear, biting down harder and harder, feeling he could never let go. All the while he used his claws. "How dare you!"

Breezepaw knew he couldn't handle both on his own, but he didn't care. Heatherpaw was the only cat that mattered now, and he would fight for her with every last breath in his body.

"Breezepaw, look!"

He ran away from the dogs and spared the chance to look up. Streaking down the hill was a ThunderClan patrol! They were attacking while WindClan was most vulnerable! Could it get any worse?

Ashfur, Brambleclaw, Thornclaw, and some other ThunderClan warriors were rushing down the hillside, and to Breezepaw's surprise, they did not attack the cats, but hurled themselves at the dogs with tooth and claw. They were helping!

Breezepaw was thrown to the ground as a dog thundered past, crushing him under its bulk. He was smoldering with anger, but when he tried to stand up his side hurt severely and he fell back down, gasping with pain. Through half-closed eyes he saw both WindClan and ThunderClan cats fighting off the dogs.

_I have to help them!_

Crowfeather and Heatherpaw were streaking off together when that golden apprentice, Lionpaw, leaped on the dog and began clawing without mercy. Breezepaw growled and tried to stand up again, but the bruising made every movement painful. That was _his_ job to save her!

Whitetail stopped beside him and nudged him painfully to his paws. "Hurry. The dogs are distracted. You have to go to camp now."

"But my Clanmates need me!" he protested, watching the gore scene, wishing he was in there fighting.

"ThunderClan cats are here to help now. You will get hurt even worse if you try to fight in this condition," Whitetail reasoned and nudged him in the direction of the camp. "That's an order."

Without arguing, Breezepaw limped back to camp, leaving behind the scene of screeching cats and howling dogs. Why did that stupid dog have to step on him anyway? He went in through the entrance of the tunnel where the rest of the WindClan cats looked at him with surprise.

Onestar was standing at the Highlog, and the rest of his warriors left at camp were enforcing the camp walls. At least they were prepared.

"Breezepaw, are our warriors holding? The dogs aren't getting near the camp, are they?" Onestar pressed.

"No, a ThunderClan patrol came to help," he panted.

Onestar nodded. "Go see Barkface. I will lead more cats out immediately."

Breezepaw went in the medicine cat den where the elderly medicine cat was mixing herbs with his apprentice. He sat down impatiently, wishing they would hurry up with it so he could re-join the fighting.

"Swollen. It will be sore for awhile, but I can bring down the swelling," Barkface meowed. "Chew on some comfrey. That should do it."

Suddenly he heard the sound of cats returning. Ignoring the instructions to chew on the comfrey, he rushed out to see.

The WindClan cats returned with Onestar in the lead. The ThunderClan patrol followed closely behind them as they entered the camp. Barkface rushed past him to treat the injured.

_Why did Onestar bring ThunderClan cats in our camp? _Breezepaw thought with disgust. Now they knew where it was for an invasion!

"WindClan thanks you," Onestar said, bowing his head.

The ThunderClan deputy, Brambleclaw, reported something he couldn't hear and Breezepaw edged closer.

"Fortunately we knew they were coming thanks to Barkface," he continued. "StarClan warned him, and we already had a plan to lure them away from the camp."

"Breezepaw, go check on the camp barrier," Whitetail told him and he raced off to do so, not prepared to fail if the dogs followed the warriors back to the camp.

All clear. He did it quickly, not wanting to miss out on the events happening in the camp right now, and he raced back into camp, reporting his promising news, feeling proud.

"Nothing!"

Crowfeather eyed him almost disapprovingly, and he staretd back defiantly. What did he do wrong _this_ time? Was it because he wasn't there to fight?

Barkface was treating the injuries of some of the ThunderClan cats. Mainly it was just shock, but a few got mangled in the process of fighting off the dogs. Crowfeather approached Brambleclaw.

"Your help wasn't needed. WindClan could have fought them off ourselves," Crowfeather told them, and Breezepaw stood taller. Dang right!

Where was Hatherpaw?

He looked around for her pale brown pelt. She wasn't hurt, was she? Breezepaw weaved through the cats and saw her talking with Lionpaw.

"Do you need any herbs?" Heatherpaw asked him, sniffing at him, and making Breezepaw narrow his eyes.

"Leafpool will treat them when we get home."

A growl rumbled deep in his throat until the last of the ThunderClan warriors left the camp. Only then did he glare at Lionpaw vanishing and rush over to his Heatherpaw.

"ThunderClan thinks they are so full of themselves. We didn't need help."

"We should be grateful they came," she meowed and hurried away, casting extra glances toward the spot where the ThunderClan warriors left as if reaching out for something in the distance.

Breezepaw dug his claws in the ground with frustration. She didn't ask him if he needed herbs. They had always been friends when they were kits, but couldn't they at least try to be more than that? Now Heatherpaw always seem distracted, almost like there was someone else on her mind.


	5. Chapter 5: A LifeChanging Experience

Breezepaw

Chapter 5: A Life-Changing Experience

The walls collapsed around him, and all of a sudden his paws that were running on solid ground just seconds before, sank in choking dirt and grit. He was about to yowl for help, but rubble fell on top of him, burying him along with Lionpaw in the hole.

The hole collapsed! Breezepaw was forced to hold his breath and he tried to dig out of the suffocating rubble crushing him, but his paws couldn't move, and the grit went in his ears and nose, making him cough inwardly.

_StarClan, save me!_

For a moment he thought he felt Lionpaw squirming beside him, but that disappeared along with everything else. Breezepaw couldn't hold on much longer, and knew that he would join StarClan that day. He began to feel light-headed and was losing consciousness when he felt paws heaving him upward. Breezepaw was a limp deadweight, but he was pulled out in the open air.

For a few minutes he wasn't sure what was going on around him. In fact, he couldn't even remember breathing really. Was he even alive? He regained consciousness and coughed up the last of the earth that was lodged in his throat and laid there, gasping with the effort, and he felt like his paws would drop off from shock.

Breezepaw heard familiar voices and opened his eyes enough to see the ThunderClan medicine cats there along with Crowfeather and Nightcloud standing by him.

"I would give my last drop of blood to save your kit," Leafpool meowed. "You know that."

Breezepaw felt the tension in the air, and wondered what that meant. Why should he mean anything to her anyway?

"We are going to the ThunderClan camp," his mother whispered in his ear and carried him like a kit in the direction of the camp.

_You are letting yourself be carried? Weakling! _Still, Breezepaw was too tired to complain in actual words and let himself be carried, his tail trailing in the dust.

Both he and Lionpaw were situated in the medicine cat den once they got there, and he marveled at how different the ThunderClan camp looked from his own camp back home. It was so hidden! He was dropped in a nest, and Lionpaw settled a tail-length away. He had managed to get back to camp on his own paws after all.

Nightcloud stayed with the apprentices, and Breezepaw was urged to sleep. He was tired and he wanted to sleep more than anything, but first he had to think. It felt so different looking at the forest around him, knowing very well that if Jaypaw hadn't pulled him out of the tunnel collapse, he could be in StarClan right now. He could have been dead. He was so close.

_There would have been so many things I wouldn't have accomplished._ To start, he wouldn't go to StarClan as a warrior, and that was an accomplishment he had to do. And what about his Clan that would have needed him this leaf-bare if he died? But most importantly, what about Heatherpaw?

Yes, she mattered most.

He would have never been able to tell her how he felt just then. What if he never could tell her?

_You have to tell her before it is too late_, Breezepaw reminded himself. _Before your chance slips away._

Easier thought than done.

"Breezepaw, I am so happy you survived. I was really worried when I heard what happened," Heatherpaw meowed excitedly and licked a clot of mud off his ear. "I can't believe Jaypaw found you!"

_How was that even possible anyway? Wasn't that useless waste supposed to be in camp?_

"I'm all right now. So, who were the winners to the contest?" he ventured curiously.

"Onestar is really proud of me for climbing the Sky Oak. You saw that, right?" Heatherpaw's blue eyes gleamed with pride.

"That was you? I thought it climbed like a squirrel."

She purred at Breezepaw's compliment. She hurriedly told him the results of each Clan's apprentices, and proudly told him of how Jaypaw was recognized in front of the whole Gathering.

"I should get some credit. Almost dying isn't enough dedication?" he murmured, wishing he could have finished and placed along with the other apprentices who didn't fall in holes.

"I am sure you would have won. ThunderClan cats are so slow," Heatherpaw concluded.

_Think about Heatherpaw._

"Can you answer a question for me?" he asked, thinking about the tunnels he found earlier that led to the mysterious underground.

"Sure."

"Well, if you had any secrets, would you tell them to me?" Breezepaw asked awkwardly. He wasn't used to sounding so serious.

Heatherpaw's bright mood disappeared too. "Why would you want to know that? Of course I would."

She was lying.

Breezepaw kept up with his apprentice duties, and worked extra hard to gain back the respect from his Clanmates he lost after losing his temper on patrol a moon before. He was rarely in his nest, and when he was, he was too tired to do anything but sleep.

Heatherpaw's nest was empty again as usual.

His dreams thoughts were only for Heatherpaw. When he pictured her pale brown pelt and sparkling blue eyes, he felt all moony inside, and the labor around camp seemed less as bad as long as she was on his thoughts.

He had to tell her how he felt about her, but why was he so shy? What would she think? What if all along she had never felt any feelings back towards him? How was he supposed to know?

He didn't. That was what made it so hard.

Somehow Breezepaw wanted to impress her, to show her that he was more than just a denmate. It had to be memorable. _Well, what is the most memorable, romantic place you know?_ he asked himself.

He could just imagine moonlight turning her fur, a dark silver, and the glint of her eyes in the darkness of night.

Kestralpaw had just returned from the elders den, muttering about Morningflower's stiff joints when he saw Breezepaw and rushed over. "Hey, can I have some help? I need some more mallow. It grows by the lakeshore. Barkface thought it would be a good idea to take someone else with me."

"That's not my job," Breezepaw scoffed.

Kestralpaw narrowed his eyes. "Like you are doing anything to help your Clan now."

Breezepaw sighed and got to his paws. He was left without duties for now anyway since Whitetail was out on patrol, and he had just come back from hunting at sun-high. The least he could do was to help Kestralpaw on his little herb hunt.

"Do you know what mallow looks like?" Kestralpaw asked him.

"Herbs are just herbs to me."

The medicine cat apprentice began telling him about mallow, listing all the fun features, but Breezepaw scarcely heard him. Being a medicine cat apprentice had to be so boring!

Then he noticed a lithe brown shape moving, disappearing behind a tuft of grass in a hurry like she was trying to escape somewhere.

_Is she hunting? What on earth is she doing out by herself?_ Breezepaw couldn't care less if he was paying attention or not now. He wanted to know where she was going.

"Breezepaw, are you coming?" Kestralpaw called back, waiting a few tail-lengths ahead.

"I am going to check something out."

"Well, hurry up then," he meowed tersely and went on ahead.

"I won't!" he called back and dashed off in the direction Heatherpaw went. She had obviously left in a hurry, and her scent was weakened by her rushing. He picked it up here and there, but picked up his pace when he saw Heatherpaw again.

He wanted to call after her so she would wait, but that could have been the reason why she was acting so secretive in the first place. Breezepaw chased after her once more out of sight, and his curiosity grew when he saw that she was heading toward that rabbit hole; the one that led to the tunnels.

Breezepaw had long since forgotten about them, especially since one collapsed on top of him and almost suffocated him. He didn't care about underground holes, but clearly Heatherpaw did. He remembered scenting her down here that one time he ventured down here himself. What was so interesting about them?

Heatherpaw slowed down by the entrance and vanished down the hole without hesitation. Clearly this was something she was familiar with. Breezepaw could imagine her delicate paws taking her farther and farther down into the darkness that extended beyond.

Just like she had done, he took a cautious look around him and followed her down a few moments later, taking the tunnel he vaguely remembered where soon many more would meet up near the dark river. When he pricked his ears, he thought he could hear the faint sounds of her paws ahead. She wasn't very silent, maybe because she knew no one could hear her. He could though.

When she reached the cavern where the dark river flowed, she just sat there and began looking around her as if expecting something to come out from the dark entrances of the other tunnels. Breezepaw waited in the mouth of the one that led back to his territory and watched her in the comfort of the dark.

_Is she going to wait here all day until we all join StarClan_? he thought impatiently.

"Heatherpaw?"

Who was that?

She leaped to her paws when a golden apprentice appeared from one of the other tunnels. He was more than familiar! That was Lionpaw of ThunderClan! Breezepaw almost fell over his own paws leaning forward to look. What in the name of StarClan was he _doing_ here?

Breezepaw listened as they discussed the skirmish with ThunderClan they had not long ago, and they sounded almost like friends. They were supposed to be enemies, so why were they here just now?

"We can't meet anymore," Lionpaw meowed, his voice heavy and his eyes serious.

Heatherpaw looked back at him with confusion. "What do you mean?"

How long have they been meeting for? Breezepaw's heart sank, and his face twisted with confusion. All this time Heatherpaw was breaking the warrior code by meeting with a cat from a different Clan? It couldn't be true! Breezepaw loved her, or so he thought so, only to find out that she had been seeing a ThunderClan apprentice the whole time! The scenario in front of him tore him to pieces.

That was why she had been meeting in these tunnels the whole time. The tunnels had to have led in ThunderClan territory!

He couldn't stand listening to the hurt in her voice, or the insecure decision Lionpaw made that he held to even though he knew her heart was breaking. Breezepaw stormed out of the tunnel, uncaring that they could probably hear him from where they were.

All this time…How could Heatherpaw do this?

Breezepaw couldn't believe it. He replayed the scene over and over in his head, and he still couldn't get over the fact that Heatherpaw was a traitor. He flopped down in a soft patch of grass and began ripping up the earth with vivace, and he felt like…he wasn't sure what it was. Angry, confused, betrayed?

"Breezepaw!"

His fur bristled and he whirled around to face her. "How could you do this?" he thundered loudly, making all the anger and betrayal clear in his voice.

"You don't understand," Heatherpaw tried to explain but Breezepaw cut her off.

"I understand you betrayed WindClan by keeping those tunnels a secret from the whole Clan. We could have got back on ThunderClan in the battle long ago, but you didn't tell Onestar because you were seeing that Lionpaw! Why have you done that anyway. You know you are breaking the warrior code!"

Heatherpaw hung her head, her eyes limpid pools of sorrow at the mention of Lionpaw. "I know."

Breezepaw stormed off again, this time in the direction of the camp. "I am telling Onestar."

"About what?" she asked frantically.

"Everything," he snarled.

Heatherpaw veered in front of him, her eyes pleading. "Breezepaw, you can't! No one can know! It is over now. I won't be seeing Lionpaw anymore, so I didn't harm anyone. And those tunnels don't lead anywhere. I have already explored all of them. You can't tell!" she begged.

Like those were good reasons for her treachery. "But you lied to me!" he hissed, his voice rising. "The whole Clan. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Heatherpaw looked like she wanted to start wailing like a kit. "Please don't tell. I am so sorry I did any of it, and it was all a mistake. Onestar might exile me, or worse if he finds out about Lionpaw. I didn't mean any harm," she squeaked.

Breezepaw wanted to tell Onestar about her treason more than anything, and let her suffer for her heart-breaking choices she made, but how could he? Her eyes were so pleading, and after all Lionpaw chose to gave her up. They had nothing anymore. His love for her was blocked by anger and hate, but he just couldn't do that to her. How could she live as a Clanless loner out on her own, all because of one mistake?

"I am not telling Onestar what you have done."

Heatherpaw nodded with relief. "And the tunnels must remain a secret too. They are a lost cause."

_She thinks she will be let off that easy? _"Heatherpaw, I am not telling, but believe me, it will take a long time for me to forgive you. A long time."


End file.
